Rues Friend: The Story of Ellie
by Jacob'sNumber1Fan
Summary: Ellie and Rue have been best friends since Rue found Ellie stealing from their rations. So when Rues name is called at the reaping Ellie is crushed and, even though he might not know it yet, he has lit a spark.A spark that will be part of a flame...
1. The Reaping

**The Hunger Games has become one of my all time favorite books. I have latched onto Katniss' tale and I refuse to let go. I don't care if you shake me and punch me. **

**Ok…maybe I do care….but I still won't let go! **

**So to show how much I love the Hunger Games I wrote this story about Ellie, a boy who loves his friend Rue and is devastated when she dies in the games. **

**I hope you enjoy the story and come to love Ellie as Rue did! **

**P.S. Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be **_**ever**_** in your favor! **

**Disclaimer: Sadly I don't own the hunger games.**

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Chapter 1

"Ellie! Ellie, I bet you can't catch me!" Rue ran away from me laughing.

"Wanna bet!?" I yelled running after her.

When she looked over her shoulder and saw me advancing on her she ran faster.

"Yes actually!" She giggled /said "Last one there picks!"

"You're on!" We ran at what felt like the speed of light, wind whooshing by as the summer sun beat down coating my body with sweat.

"This is where you lose Ellie!" and she was right for even though by this time I had caught up with her I knew it wouldn't last long. Rue was like a flying squirrel. Her hands grabbed at the branches, only pausing for a second to test the strength, and then she was off, flying across the branches like the beautiful bird she is.

I sighed and then climbed up the tree. I was slower then she but only by a few seconds.

Still that was enough for her to make it to the other side faster than me.

"You lost!" She hung upside down on a tree limb and looked up at me, smiling away. "You have to pick."  
"Come on Rue! I'm tired of picking." I sat on the tree limb on the other side of the trunk and looked at her.

"Wimp! That's why you have a girl's name." It's true; I have a girl's name. But my parents didn't name me that…actually my parents didn't name me at all. They died when I was born, caught steeling food from the orchards the community home people say.

"So! Let's just sit here…"

"Come on Ellie! I'm hungry!"

"Fine." I jumped out of the tree onto the ground below. "What would like your highness?" I bowed my head low. "Roots or roots. Or…" I kneeled to the ground uncovering the rock I used last week to hide the hole I dug. "Roots."

She giggled even though we didn't find this particularly funny. Even though the trees and fields all around us were overflowing with food we weren't allowed to pick them until the harvest this fall and even then we couldn't eat what we picked. They gave out rations which were hardly enough to keep us alive throughout the year and it didn't for some… "Hmm…" She pretended to think hard about this. "Roots I guess."

"Roots it is!" Me digging roots was against the law but not as sever as picking from orchards. "Be sure to pick a lot Ellie. I want to bring some home." Rue was talking about her family. They were a prime example of the people who hardly got by on the rations.

"Ok Rouge." She rolled her eyes at the nick name I had given her over the years. It came from how red she usually got when we would pick during the harvest.

I picked a bunch and stuck it in the bag I brought along with me knowing I would be picking roots.

When I was done I went to stand up and saw…

"Ellie," Rue whispered, panicked "Peacekeepers Ellie!"

"Go Rue." I whispered not looking up but towards the Peacekeepers.

"No, I can't leave-"

"Rue, go. I'm just a troubled community child. The worst they can do is fine the city for what I have." The Peacekeepers were getting closer. "Go Rue!"

"Stop!" The Peacekeepers yelled as I begin to run away from the tree Rue was in and back towards the city.

_Rue better not get caught. _I thought knowing that I was sure to be caught and then beat. Rues sisters couldn't take knowing she was beat by Peacekeepers. They couldn't live with that fact.

"You will be severely punished!" The Peacekeeper said grabbing my arm and binding it back.

There was a crack and then I saw stars.

"Stop, we want him to feel this pain, not be unconscious of it."

I knew pain would come so I forced myself into blackness.

XxX

"Ellie! Oh Ellie wake up!" A voice with the softness of an angels kiss cried.

I forced my half swollen eye open and tried to focus on the blob of brown holding onto my broken arm for dear life.

_MY BROKEN ARM! _

"OW!" I tried to yell but found my throat was horse.

The blob focused just as she looked up to see my eyes on her. Rue smiled "Ellie! Oh Ellie I thought you were dead!"

"Rue…please…" Her eyes blinked in confusion.

"Please…?"

"Let go of my arm." I whispered.

"What?"

"My arm!" I yelled and then felt light headed.

"Oh… sorry." She let go and then motioned behind her "Someone help me. Please." But even I knew it was futile. No one would help after they saw the Peacekeepers publicly beat me. They would steer clear of me for days, if I had days. The reaping for the Hunger Games is in three days. If I was chosen…I wouldn't stand a chance. 1st, I was barley five foot. 2nd, the only weapon I could weald was a dagger, and that was to weed out the fields. 3rd…my arm would not be better for then and who knew if the doctors at the capital would take pity on me and heal it before the games. Me being hurt before the Games even started might make a better thing to watch. Make it more interesting.

"I've got it." I said attempting to get up but then falling back down again.

"Come on." Rue put my good arm around her small neck and helped me stand up. She was so small but she did help me balance a little better. I only fell down twice.

"Take me to the community home; it's a shorter distance for you."

"No." She said sternly "I will not cast another beating on you." She was right. The people at the community home beat us almost everyday and fed us scraps, keeping almost all the rations to themselves and letting us starve.

The only reason I was alive was because of Rues family. Rue found me when I was six and she was four steeling some of their rations. Instead of turning me into the Peacekeepers they fed me and gave me a place to sleep for a while until the community center demanded me back.

Rue and I have been best friends ever since.

"Rue…"

"No." I laughed at her serious face.

It took us two hours to make it to Rues house on the outskirts of the city.

"RUE! ELLIE!" Rues little sister, Isabel, ran to us. She looked exactly like Rue, big brown eyes with brown skin, only she was shorter.

"Isabel, don't-" Rue tried to stop her but she grabbed us in a hug, knocking us to the ground.

I landed on my arm; it sent pain traveling upward to my brain making me see black yet again.

XxX

"Eat up." Rues mom said with a small smile.

"Why bother?" Rue said playing with the half a quarter of the groosling leg on her plate. Rues dad had killed it last night in the fields and saved it for today. Reaping day.

"You have to be strong; today's going to be a long day Rue." It was her first reaping, my third. Going into she already had eight slips being as she was the only one old enough to sign up for the tessera, and with a family as big as hers…they needed it. I sometimes wondered why they fed and clothed me when they hardly had enough for themselves.

For a way to thank them I signed up for a tessera myself but was only allowed one because technically I am the only one in my family.

Rue sighed and continued playing with her food.

"How's your arm Ellie?" Rues mom said in an attempt to take our minds off the game.

"Better." I lied. After I had woken up after passing out again, I had found my arm in a sling and throbbing with pain.

Pain that only goes away with time our pills, which we don't have.

"That's good." She said even though she knew I was lying

After we finished up dinner we all sat around the TV screen to watch District 12 reaping.

It starts with the story of how the Hunger Games started and then the rules. After the rules is the reading of the past victors of District 12. There have only been two and only one is still alive.

At the moment they say the live victors' name, Haymitch Abernathy; he comes into the cameras view. He is clearly drunk and looks like he's trying to give Effie Trinket, the districts escort, a big kiss. The cameras dance off him but not in time for us to see Effie's wig slide a little.

Rue and I burst out laughing.

"Stop you two." Rues dad says trying to keep in his own laughter. "These games are nothing to laugh about."

We know he's right but this is how we relieve our stress.

After that Effie gets up and talks which send me and Rue into another fit of laughter. Her hair is still off center.

But then we stop when Rue's mom lets out a gasp.

"What mom? What's wrong?"

Rue and I look at her. Her hand is over her mouth and her eyes are filled with tears.

Rues father answers for her "They've chosen a twelve year old."

Rue and I both look towards the screen and see that she is right. The girl walks down the isle from the twelve year old section.

Rue takes in breath.

"It's not going to happen to you Rue." I say taking her hand. "There are thousands of girls."

But then I turn my head back to the screen in time to see a girl with dark brown hair step in front of the twelve year old girl "I volunteer! I volunteer as a tribute!" Rues hand is shaking in mine and I know what she's thinking.

She's the oldest one in her family; there would be no one to volunteer for her if she got chosen.

She won't get chosen though. She won't because there are thousands of slips.

But eight of those already say her name.

XxX

"To your place, boy." To emphasize his words the Peacekeeper pushed me with the butt of his gun.

"Good luck Rue." I called back as the Peacekeeper forced our hands apart.

"Good luck to you too Ellie." I heard her call. Her voice was full off worry.

The Peacekeeper forced me under the ropes that held the 14 year old under privilege boys and, with a spit in my direction, left me.

I looked around at all the community kids and the poor. This is how they separated us, the poor from the rich. Rich in the way back, poor in the front. That's why on the TV screen we look like we have the same population as the rest of the districts even though ours is much larger. They only show the poor kids.

Rue and I think they put only half the slips of the privilege in the bowl. How else would they fit us all in?

A few minutes passed and then the "festivities" start. The mayor reads the rules and the history, introduces the past victors, and then hands it over to Ginger Say, our escort.

"It is so nice to see all of you again this year!" She says in that stupid Capital accent I have come to hate "I have a feeling that this years Hunger Games will be a fantastic one!" She walked over to the girls' ball. "Happy Hunger Games!" She says looking over at the girls' side with a very creepy smile on her face.

I look back at Rue who is looking at me and I give her a reassuring smile that says "Don't worry, it's not you."

"The girl tribute of District 11 for the seventy-fourth annual Hunger Games is…" Rue closes her eyes and so do I, willing it to be anyone but "Rue Cider!"

My eyes snap open as I hear gasps from all around. Gasps that say 'two twelve year olds in one day?' and 'Poor girl'.

I try to find her but I have lost her through the sea of people. But then I see her. She's crying silent tears as she walks down the long path to the stage.

"Rue!" I yell running. I push boys out my way to make it to the edge of my rope. To Rue.

She sees me and walks faster, towards my outstretched hand. Just before she grabs it a Peacekeeper knocks me over and onto the ground. "Back up boy!" He says kicking me with his boot. But I ignore him and call "Rue! Rue!"

"I said get back!!" Another Peacekeeper has to drag me back to my place. He sticks his big hand around my throat and squeezes.

"Any volunteers?" Ginger chirps happily, oblivious of the disturbance.

The silence that follows her words almost kills me.

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**So there you go. Chapter 1 of Ellies story. I know it's going a little slow but i promise it will get more interesting as we go. Please write reviews!!!**


	2. Expectations

**Ok so here's a little recap, Ellie devastated, Rue in Hunger Games. **

**Lol. Not much of a recap but that's basically what happened! **

**Anyway time to move on to chapter two!  
**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games or any characters from the Hunger Games. =( **

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Chapter 2

I sat in the Justice Building thinking it couldn't be true. Just three days ago we were running through the trees, not happy, but as close as we could get to happiness.

"You can see her know." The Peacekeeper opens the door as Rues family is hustled out. They're all crying.

As I walk towards the door Rues mom touches my arm. She looks pained as she thinks the same thing I did, Rue doesn't stand much a chance against all the others. It took all my strength not to cry.

I walked into the little room. It smelled of mold and the roof and walls were chipping. Rue was in the corner huddled in a ball crying so hard she started to gasp for air.

"Rue!" I ran to her and took her in my arms. She cried on my shoulder as I stroked her hair and cried along with her.

We sat there for a few minutes before she said "I want you to know," She said between gasps, "that if I don't come back…you're my best friend and I love you so _so_ much."

"I love you too." I whispered to her.

We cried even harder. I felt like my world was crashing in around me. I kissed her head and she squeezed my hand tighter.

"Take this in there with you." I said letting go of her. I untied the necklace that I always wore. It was my dads, they told me, and I never took it off. It was the only thing of my families I had and Rue had always loved it. She even went as far as saying it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. It was made of leather with blue and red glass hooked on it. Someone told me it was sea glass from District 4. I don't even know how anyone could get that especially someone who was arrested and killed for stealing.

"Thank you." She said taking the necklace "I will take care of it."

She sat quietly in my arms for a while and then said "Sing me a song."

I sang our not so famous harvest song about the crops growing strong and tall.

My voice wasn't as great as hers. She smiled at the sound of it though, or was she trying to laugh?

"Times up." A Peacekeeper motioned for me to come out off the door.

"Help my family get through this, Ellie. Please." Her big brown eyes pleaded to me.

"I will." The Peacekeeper took me by the collar of my shirt and started to drag me out. "Bye Rue."

"Bye Ellie." I kept eye contact with her until the Peacekeeper pushed me out and slammed the door in my face.

XxX

"…and here they come! The chariots are out with District 1 leading the way!..." Caesar Flickerman booms with excitement. He looks ridiculous with his powder blue hair and eyeliner. His clothes aren't any better either.

I almost tune him out but then remember I'm actually watching this year. That I have to see the horror of these sadistic games to see Rue.

After a couple of minutes little Isabel grabs my hand and points to the screen "Look," She smiles and looks at me "It's her, it's Rue."

"…sporting yellow dress with sequins. It represents corn beautifully, and makes that little angel of a girl shine. Her partner, Thresh…" The screen stays on them as Caesar talks about Threshes attire, but I'm not listening. The only thing I'm paying attention too is Rue as she smiles for the camera.

"She looks beautiful." Isabel says, holding back tears. Seeing her big sister on TV is a shock to her. All her life she's known that the Hunger Games play on TV and people usually get angry, mad, or sad when they talk about what happened during the time they showed so seeing Rue on that screen…she knows its bad.

"She does honey." This is the first time I have seen Rues mom in two days. Her eyes are puffy and her noise shines red.

When I made it back to there house after seeing Rue, Isabel told me that her mom wouldn't come out of her room. That Rues' dad had told them she just needed to rest but when I passed by her door that afternoon all I heard was sniffling.

"Whoa! That _can't_ be District 12!" Caesar gushes. The camera turns off of his stunned face and onto the faces of District 12's tributes, Peeta Mellark and Katniss Everdeen. They have bright smiles on there faces and then the camera pans out to show there outfits.

"There on fire…" Sasha, Rues five year old younger sister, says gazing up at the TV.

They really are on fire. All black and then a cape of yellow, orange, and red lit up with real flames.

"This is unbelievable! A first time designer at the Hunger Games, Cinna, has started his career off with a bang! Or shall I say a spark?" Right when he says that the girl, Katniss, kisses the boy on the cheek. "There might be a fight from District 12 this year after all!" Caesar ends with a long lecture on how the clothes supposedly give some hope on the action in the games and signs off.

We sat there for a while in silence absorbing all the competitors even though we've seen them only yesterday during the recap of the reapings.

The site of them all, big and tough looking, must have crushed Rues parents and Isabel, who was the only one of the five who truly grasped what her sister was in, because it crushed me.

My faith that she would win the Hunger Games was dwindling down to a negative.

Days like this started to happen more and more as we watched the updates and interviews.

Rue would be on the screen and Isabel would start to cry or her mother would.

And I just sat there and tried to hold in my tears as I saw her. Rues picture, Rue in training, Rue with a seven in the private session with the game keepers, and Rue at an interview in a dress with wings that made her look like those mockingjays she loves so much. She smiles as Caesar asks her what her strength in the arena will be "I'm very hard to catch, and if they can't catch me, they can't kill me. So don't count me out."

And then it's like she's looking straight into the camera at me. That's when I know for certain what she did at the private session to get that high 7 out of 13. She climbed.

And she never touched the ground.

"I wouldn't in a million years." Caesar says with a touch of aw in his voice.

"I won't either." I whisper in such a soft voice no one hears me. I've realized I started counting Rue out once I saw how tough looking the other tributes were, not remembering that Rue has many tricks up her sleeve.

This also gets me thinking that if I have counted her out, her best friend that's known her for so long, many people have counted Rue out. That she won't have sponsors.

"We have to collect money." I say before thinking. Then I regret it knowing Rues family has had enough on their shoulders without me adding money to the list.

"What?" Rues father looks at me confused.

"Never mind."

"No, you said something about money?" there's a little spark in his eyes that gets me confused.

"Yeah," I say slowly "I just… I gave up on Rue, just like she said not to just now on that screen and I bet many people have too. If we raise money through the District… we can surly do it for Rue _and_ Thresh seeing as there are about a million people here… then we can get them something. Something in the games."

"And they will remember not to lose hope too." I see that he was thinking the same thing I was.

"Exactly." I say smiling at the thought of Rue getting something in the games and knowing it was from me. That I am waiting for her to come home.

XxX

"…Donations!" I yell while I put a flyer showing where people can drop off donations on a building. "Donations for the Rue and Thresh fund!"

"I bet." A guy sneers at me "It's probably more like feed the sniveling worm fund."

I ignore him and raise my voice. "Show the Tributes of our District that you care by donating! Their families will be grateful!"

A wealthy looking man flags me down and gives me a gold coin. I know he could give a lot more but I thank him remembering what Threshs' grandmother told me when I went over to tell them our plan. Every cent counts.

"Give the Tributes hope by donating!"

"Why bother?" I heard someone whisper. I looked over and saw it was a kid from my school, three years my senior, talking to a group of his friends. He caught my eye and said louder. "There's no way that little girl is coming back alive. Did you see that boy from District 2?"

"So?" I say trying not to let this bother me "Rue has her own strengths."

"And what are those?" One of the boys ask smiling "Climbing trees and singing to mockingjays?"

Anger flashed up in me the instant those words left his mouth.

I placed the bag of money on the ground and walked up to the boy. "No," I say practically spitting in his face "Rue has incredible aim and she knows every plant ever grown."

They all laugh like this is funny. Like talking about Rues' life being on the line is funny. But I don't think it's very funny.

And I've had enough.

I jump on the closest boy and place my hand on his throat.

"Get off of him!" They yell trying to pull me off of the now beat red faced boy.

"You son of a bitch!" I scream. "You take it back! Take everything you said about Rue back!"

"You again." I was pulled of the boy and shoved hard to the ground. I landed on my bad arm which made me see stars for a while. "I keep on seeing you and I think it's time someone exterminate you." The same Peacekeeper who had beaten me in the square said then punched me in the eye.

He was just about to punch me again when I was tugged from under his grip.

"You have no right-"

"I have _every _right." A deep voice said from behind me. "This boy was just defending himself. Do you really think he could hurt five boys that are twice his size?"

"No…" The Peacekeeper said grudgingly. I didn't even know why he was talking to the man. He could kill him and no one would question what he had done. Well not out loud at least.

"Good, because that would be crazy." The man grabbed my arm. "Let's go."

As he hauled me away I tried to get a look at him, to see who had the guts to question a Peacekeeper, but he had my arm in such an angle I couldn't turn around.

"Did you pick up the-"

"Yes, I have your bag around my neck." He said "You know, your lucky those boys didn't kill you."

"I could have taken them." I say feeling my eye swell. I wish I could have thrown in at least one punch.

The man chuckled. "I like your spunk kid, but you couldn't have done it."

"How would _you_ know?"

We had stopped walking. I pulled my arm out of his now slacked grip and turned around, angry that he said I couldn't fight them.

When I saw who it was my jaw went slack.

"I think I know a little bit about fighting." Chaff, a past winner from the Hunger Games, stands in front of me.

He's very tall with dark brown skin and his left arm ends in a stump, a stamp that shows he was in the games. That he'll never really get over it.

He sighs and sits on the ground and then motions for me to sit next to him. "What your doing for those kids…its nice and all…but you have to know."

"Know what?" I ask taking a seat next to him.

"Even if one of them makes it…they won't be the same." I never thought about Rue being different. I just thought she would come home and be the same girl she was. The same girl who jumped through trees.

"You think she'll still be my friend?" I ask in a whisper.

Chaff looks at me and then says "I can't answer that." My heart drops. "But keep on raising money for them, it's a good thing you do."

I avert my eyes from his and wipe my eyes as tears weal up in them. "Don't be discouraged." Chaff says hitting me on the back "You obviously mean something to her if you have the courage to fight five boys at once just to defend her honor. I didn't have anyone like you." He gets this far away and I know he's back in the Games.

"Mr. Chaff?" He shakes himself out of it and smiles down at me "Just Chaff, you make me sound old!" He gets up and pulls me along with him. "You better get back home."

"I don't have a home." I say grabbing the bag of money.

"Well go to where you came from, I don't want you dead before you raise that money."

"Why would I die?"

"The Games start in an hour." He says pushing me a little "Go, I can't be there every time a Peacekeeper threatens your ass."

"Thanks." I smile at him with new found hope. I _am_ doing something for Rue. I am showing her that she has a friend and to never give up hope and because of me she will come home.

He gives me another push and then I'm on my way to Rues' house to see what I'm sure will be the scariest thing I have faced yet.

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**Dun Dun _Dun!!!_ Lol, well thats Chapter 2. I'm going to put Chapter's 3 and 4 up at the same time so it might take me about a week to update. To the few people who read my story I want to thank you for taking the time to read it and ask you to review. Please =) **


	3. Accusations

**So hello again! I want to give a shout out of thanks to my two reviewers' wolfienur and Jasminesnumber1fan! Thanks for showing me love.**

**Anyway, time to get on with the story. =) **

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games…*tears* **

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Chapter 3

"Ellie…?"

"Hmmm?" I say not turning my head. I didn't want to miss my first glance of Rue.

"Honey, you're going to hurt your eyes sitting so close to that screen." Rues mom sounds concerned so I turn my head and look at her.

She wasn't the only one looking at me though.

All of Rues' family has gathered in her house for the games. They give each other support that would surly be needed once the games fully started.

"Sorry." I slide back on the wooden floors, a little ways away from the TV screen.

"Ellie…" I look up to find Isabel. Her eyes are rimmed red, like she's been crying again. "What if she dies today?"

I'm taken aback, surprised. That question has come out of nowhere but I guess we've all thought it. What if Rues death is the first thing we see? What if our confidence in her is stupid? I mean how can she win against such big monsters?

But I don't want to tell Isabel this. Heck, I don't want to give her false hope either so I say "Sit here." When she sits down I continue "I can't tell you if Rue will live or not but I know what I can do."

"What's that?" She says whipping a stray tear on her cheek.

"I can be here with you so whatever happens; you'll have me standing right next to you through it all. Or sitting in this case."

She giggles a little and smiles at me. I hug her wishing I could hug Rue.

At this exact moment the TV flickers on and Caesar Flickermans' face is projected on the screen.

He looks excited as he gushes about how well the interviews went last night and how he's ready for this years Hunger Games to start. "What exciting terrain will these twenty four youngsters be thrown into this year?" He says as shots of all twenty four tributes runs on the screen.

Now I feel sick.

With all my worrying about the other competitors, I forgot about the elements. What I mean by this is the fact they are going to be thrown into a type of terrarium that is loaded with things set to kill them if the other tributes don't kill each other first.

Rue could be frozen to death in the tundra or eaten by wild tigers in the jungle. She could even dehydrate if there was no water in the arena.

She could walk into quick sand and sink down as the sand suffocated her to death.

I shutter. And to think the games haven't even started yet.

But there about to because Caesar says, overflowing with excitement "I've just gotten word that the tributes are getting ready on their platforms know! And this year they'll be living in what looks like a lush green forest!" Then the camera pans over the Cornucopia, which looks like its on dirt, to an arena of green. On one side is a pine forest and the other is a big blue lake. Seeing the lake and the pines makes me relax a little for now I know that a) Rue can't possibly die of thirst even though the lake is out in the open. She'll find a way to sneak some water and b) she won't starve for she knows every plant there is and there's bound to be plenty in a forest. "Now has come the time I hate the most." Caesar sighs, looking sad. "I must give up the mike to another, my good friend Claudius Templesmith."

A man with bright rosy cheeks and a round body shows up on the screen. He's in the Game HQ with the sponsors and mentors. They're busy talking in the background as he says "Hello and goodbye Caesar." In this deep voice that lets us know that he's old for at the Capitol they have so many surgeries you never know anyone's true age.

Caesar huffs "Yes hello and goodbye Claudius." His face turns into a bright smile "And goodbye to you my dear sweet people of Panem! I'll see you next year for the next kick off of yet another Hunger Games!" Somehow he smiles even wider and then his image disappears leaving only Claudius Templesmith. He talks a little about what he's doing in the Game HQ (Even though we all know what he's doing. I mean we see it every year) and then his face becomes very serious "The time has come Panem," He says as another shot accompanies his. It's the shot of the arena again but this time twenty four holes are in the ground around the golden Cornucopia and rising out of the holes is twelve girls and twelve boys "to celebrate as these Twenty Four tributes fight to the death." There completely risen out of the holes now. The music that's in the background slows to the sound of a heart beat, showing flashes of the twenty-four tributes. "Ladies and gentlemen," all twenty-four faces or on the screen now. Isabel grabs my hand at the same time I find Rues' live shot.

She looks scared.

"Let the Seventy-fourth Hunger Games begin!" The images spin and I lose Rue in the chaos. A second later their replaced with a time watch, counting down from sixty.

Counting down to their deaths.

"Fifty four…fifty three…fifty two…" You can almost hear the Capitol counting down along with Claudius on the screen but in this two bedroom shack of a house, with about fifty people in it, all you can hear is silence as they hold their breaths. Wishing Rue silent luck.

"…five…four…three…two…one!" The legendary gong sounds and the battle begins.

Instantly the camera shoots to where the fight for the Cornucopia has begun. Blood is shed within ten seconds. Isabel berries her head in my chest, shuddering at the sight of people being cut into pieces.

I want to look away too but I can't. I have to find Rue, to make sure she's safe. But I don't see her. This makes me happy for if I don't see her there it means she had the smarts to stay far away from the Cornucopia.

The battle at the Cornucopia ends hours later. The whole thing was bloody and made me want to puke. Isabel kept her eyes closed throughout the whole thing.

Then the cannons fire "Eleven dead, thirteen to go," Claudius says in a dramatic voice. And then he lists whose left. First they show a group of six traveling in a pack. They look strong and instantly I know they're Careers, tributes who gang up together to weed out the week eventually turning on each other and one coming out as victor. Then it's the girl from District 12, which is odd. Her District partner travels with the Careers. I would think she would be with them too seeing as he proclaimed to the whole country that he loved her.

I'm pondering on this while they show three other Tributes and then "Look! It's Thresh!" Threshs' sister screams with excitement. Rues' family invited her and her grandmother over seeing as that's all they have left.

Thresh is also hiking through the woods, but unlike the Careers he's by himself which makes me mad. Why isn't he looking after Rue? I mean I know she's not dead from watching the blood bath for hours. He should be looking out for her.

Last, but certainly not least, is Rue. Isabel, who has finally lifted her head, starts to laugh as tears roll down her cheeks.

I start to laugh too and soon the whole house is echoing with laughter for my little Rue is hanging upside-down in a tree eating berries off a bush below her. She has a pack on the branch by her and she occasionally drops some barriers into it.

"That's my girl." I hear Rues dad say. He has a smile in his voice.

I smile along with him, guiltily. I can't believe I doubted Rue. She'll make it; I know that for sure now.

XxX

After watching all the competitors do nothing for about five more hours the day ends. Claudius does a recap of today telling us that tomorrow he'll have Lavender and Frindstine, two gaming experts, on tomorrow sharing their smarts and telling the country after one day who they think will die next and who is most likely to win the games. Then the anthem plays while the faces of the people who died that day are projected in a shower of fireworks.

Lastly all thirteen competitors are shown again. When they show Rue she looks cold. She has a jacket and a pair of socks on her hands but her breath comes out in white puffs.

"G-g-goodnight." I hear her whisper.

"And goodnight to you sweetie. Doesn't your heart just go out to her?" Claudius says placing his hand over his heart "And goodnight to all of Panem! See you tomorrow for day two of the Hunger Games!" He waves and then the screen turns black.

The Families slowly leave the house congratulating them for Rue being still alive.

The last to leave is Threshs' grandmother and sister "We'll see you tomorrow." His sister says leading her grandmother out the door.

I stand up and walked towards the door also.

"Ellie," Rues mom grabs my arm before I step outside "You don't have to go, you know that."

"I just… I didn't think..."

"We all need someone today." She smiles rubbing my arm "Even you, so I want you to stay. You can sleep in here, we have some extra blankets."

I smile at her and say "Thank you."

"Anytime." Rues mother leads me back inside and gave me some blankets. Even though they're moth bitten they are still better then the ones at the community home.

I lay them out and then sit down on them, trying to get comfortable.

Just when I was about to go to sleep I heard footsteps. I look up and see Isabel again.

"I don't want to sleep in her bed." She says frowning. She and Rue shared one bed in a little room all six of them sleep in. "Can I sleep here? With you?" She asks yawning.

"Sure." I scoot over and let her lay down beside me.

We lay in silence for a while before she whispers "I think Rue has a chance now."

"I do too."

I lay there and think about what would happen when Rue came back. She would have wealth and fame. Most importantly her family would be safe and wouldn't struggle anymore. They would get what they always deserved.

"She just has to keep hidden."

"Yeah, and stay in the trees."

"And once we raise the money," she yawns "to give her her gift she'll…" She'll…?

I look and over and see that Isabel is now asleep. "She'll be sure to win." I finish for her. I reach over and run my hands through Isabel's hair. She looks just like Rue with her brown skin and long brown hair.

"Goodnight Rue, my sweet mockingjay." I say with a yawn and then slowly drift into a dreamless sleep.

XxX

"It's starting!" Rues mom turns the volume so we can all hear Claudius Templesmith introduce his two guests I told you before that two very important guest would be here today. Well here they are! Lavender and Frindstine, gaming experts and great friends of mine.

"Well hello you two!"

"Hello Claudius." Lavender is just that, Lavender. Her hair matches her purple skin and her eyes stare into the camera, cold and black.

"Hi Claude!" Frindstine doesn't look as bad as Lavender, his skin is a normal chalky tone, but his hair is very long and combed back. He also has giant glasses that magnify his eyes about a hundred times "We're so glade to be here again."

"So glad to have you two here." Claudius says to them. "So let's get started!"

They start where they always do, the Career Tributes. It's no surprise that they think the big monster of a guy from District 2 has a great chance at winning. Frindstine, though, thinks that the love birds from 12 have a plan to destroy the Career tributes and make it to the final two.

Lavender disagrees "Think Frindstine," she says rolling her eyes "It's a fight to the death. The boy obviously wants to distance himself from the girl, Katness, so it will be easier to destroy her if it comes down to them two in the end."

They argue about this for over ten minutes. They would have gone on for longer but Claudius interrupts saying there are more than two people in these games.

They agree to come back to them and then go on to Rue.

"That sweet girl from District 11 has spunk." Frindstine says. I smile but then frown again when Lavender says "Yes, but spunk will not win the games. She's so small and there is no way she can survive in a fight between her and a remaining tribute."

"Yes, but she might not have too," Frindstine says exasperated that she isn't agreeing with him at all today. "Did you see how she gathered food from that bush? And she was hidden most of the day! The camera's even had a heard time finding her. She's a born blinder, and I bet if she hides it out in those trees she'll win for certain." I want to give Frindstine a great big hug for saying that. This house is filled with hope now.

As if Lavender sensed this she counters "Yes but Frindstine she has to come out of those trees for water sometime and the Careers are that way, guarding the lake. The only other water source is deep in the forest, a good hike away. Any of the others looking for that same source of water could spot her and shoot her down."

Frindstines' face deflates. As if sensing this Claudius says "Well let's take a look at the games, shall we?"

It's a shot of the Careers as they walk through the dark forest. It's close to dawn in the arena now and they look like they've been hiking all night. They're tired and ready to fall asleep on their feet. One guy asks if they could rest but the other says they need to circle this part of the woods and be back towards the lake at noon, to see what's out here.

That's when we all see it. A light up ahead. Someone has stupidly lit a fire in the dark forest desperate for warmth.

"Let's get them," Someone whispers and then they are off running towards the light.

At that moment another image joins the screen. I think it's the head of someone in a tree.

I take in a sharp breath thinking its Rue. That she's in a tree a couple of feet up from them and they can easily see her but I learn that I'm wrong when Frindstine says "I guess we're about to find out if the girl from District 12 knows about her so called lover teaming with the Careers." So it's not Rue! It's just the girl from District 12!

I'm brought out of my relieved state when the Careers kill the girl on the ground.

She lies there as they walk away but then she comes back to life! She looks like she's trying to crawl away. The Careers notice that the cannon hasn't sounded and so the boy from District 12 runs back and finishes her off.

They then are satisfied as the cannon goes off and leave. A little while after that the girl in the tree jumps down. The camera gets a close up of her face.

On it is a smile.

"Ha!" Frindstine yells laughing "See, their love is still intact."

"For now Frindstine. For now."

The next shot is of Rue. She looks like she has just been woken up. "Now hears our sweet angel. Some say here survival so far is a fluke, others say its years of agriculture learning." She yawns and attaches the bag to her back. Then she gives them all a show for she is up and flying from tree to tree.

"Still think she won't survive Lavender?" Frindstine says with a smug smile.

"I've said it before and I'll say it again. Eventually she'll have to come down. And I've just thought of something else too. The boy from District 11, Thresh, he has to know about her tree hopping. He'll be expecting her up there and I bet when he finds her…" I feel sick. That hadn't even crossed my mind! I guess that's why they call Lavender an expert.

I turn to look at Threshs' sister and grandmother.

She catches my eye "You can't possibly think Thresh would do that." Dana, Threshs' sister, says noticing that I'm not the only one looking at her now. "He would never hurt her.

"How can you be so sure?" I say getting angry. I can't believe I've treated Thresh like a friend instead of an enemy of Rues'. After all there all competitors.

"Thresh would kill himself before he kills that little girl! Why do you think he's not with those other Careers? Thresh is the same size as them but he said he'd never gang up on someone!" Dana yells. When no one says a word she says. "Come one Grandma, obviously we're not wanted here." They get up and leave even though Rues mom tries to stop them.

_Let her be mad._ I think to myself _If he would kill himself before Rue then why isn't he with her now? Why isn't he protecting her from all the others?_

But then I can't help but think back to what Dana said. It's true; Thresh is just as big as the other Careers and, if he wanted to, could be with them. That would make this journey safer and more luxurious (well as luxurious as you can get walking through the woods.) for himself.

_What is he thinking? _I ask myself. At that moment a picture of Thresh shows up on the screen. It stays on him for about five minutes. He's hiking through the forest.

And not even once does he look up towards the tree branches.

* * *

**So that was chapter 3. I know I said I'd put up chapter 4 with 3 but it's taking a while for me to write 4. I thought I'd at least give you something this week. I hope to have it up by 19th if not I'll for sure have it up monday. **


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